


Ranger Identity Conundrum

by Rivulet027



Category: Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue, Power Rangers Mystic Force
Genre: Dating, Humor, M/M, Pickup Lines, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-07
Updated: 2013-05-07
Packaged: 2017-12-10 15:40:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/787688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivulet027/pseuds/Rivulet027
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Carter tries to pick him up Xander isn’t sure he can say yes without telling Carter he’s a fellow ranger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ranger Identity Conundrum

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Angel_Negra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_Negra/gifts).



> Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Power Rangers. This is not my toy box and I’m merely playing.
> 
> A/N: For Angel Negra. Happy Birthday! Also I hope you don't mind I took your Mystic Force was in Canada idea and ran with it. I got the funky pick up lines [here](http://brainz.org/best-pick-lines-top-original-ordinary-funny/) and the flower information [here](http://homeguides.sfgate.com/types-red-tulips-23079.html).

Ranger Identity Conundrum:

In Briarwood the identity of its rangers is a closely guarded secret. It’s this secret that sticks in Xander’s mind when Carter Grayson sits across from him, in a packed deli, and tries a corny pick-up line. For a moment Xander thinks the other rangers have figured his team out. Do past ranger teams keep in contact with each other? Then he realizes the public ranger is actually trying to pick him up. Xander instantly brightens, then stills because he realizes he can’t say yes. His team and the rest of Briarwood have never given away the ranger identities and he doesn’t think he can lie, even by omission, to a fellow ranger. Xander sets his pencil down, then rests his chin in his hands smiling, trying to hide the disappointment, that he has to say no, “That was really good. You almost made me sad that I have to say no thanks.”

Carter looks disappointed for a moment, but then shrugs, “Had to try.”

“Midterms,” Xander says. It’s the best explanation he has even though part of him wants to claim former green on a team that’s holding onto their secret identities tightly.

“Maybe after?” Carter asks.

“I’ll think about it,” Xander smirks.

Carter smiles and holds out a hand, “I’m Carter.”

“I know,” Xander acknowledges as he gives Carter’s hand a quick shake, “Xander.”

“I didn’t know,” Carter teases.

Xander shrugs, “That’s a good thing.”

Carter sits there for another moment, looking as though he’s not sure if he should get up or stay.

“Going to try any more fancy one-liners?” Xander teases.

Carter’s cheeks start to tinge, “Well Joel isn’t anymore, thought it’d be worth a try.”

“It needs work,” Xander advises.

“Really?” Carter asks as his lips start to quirk up into a smile.

Xander tilts his head to the side, “It usually works for you, doesn’t it?”

“Most of the time, doesn’t seem to be working now.”

Xander tears a piece of paper out of his notebook, writes his number down and hands it to Carter before gathering his books, “In case you need lessons.”

“Lessons in pick up lines?” Carter asks with a bemused smile as he takes the paper.

“I’m an expert,” Xander smirks, before he turns and leaves.

Even though Carter has his number Xander is relatively sure he won’t hear from him. He calls Vida to complain anyway, “He might have been the most gorgeous guy that’s ever hit on me and I said no. I hope you all realize how much I love you.”

“How gorgeous?” Vida asks.

“Carter from Lightspeed Rescue,” Xander stresses, “Come on Vida, I know that you know how to Google and if you can’t find him, Chip can.”

Vida makes a non-committal noise before he hears typing, then Vida makes a slightly surprised noise before she demands, “And you said no?”

“Feel my pain Vida, feel my pain.”

“You should’ve just told him,” she counters.

“I couldn’t, not without consulting all of you,” Xander stresses.

“I say go for it,” Vida tells him, “We might at least be out with our identities to former rangers.”

Then the phone is fumbled for a moment before Chip says, “I agree with Vida.”

“Of course you do,” Xander grumbles, “We both learned a long time ago that Vida is always right.”

“Exactly!” Chip agrees before he gives the phone back to Vida.

“No excuses, get your man,” Vida tells him before hanging up.

Xander stares at the silent phone before he complains, “He’s not my man.”

By the end of the day Xander hears from Maddie, Nick, Daggeron and Udonna: all of them give him their blessing. He’s doomed and completely regretting not getting Carter’s number.

Two days later Carter texts him and asks how his studying is going. They start trading texts. It’s all simple observations about their days, as if they’re saving the getting to know each other for when they can actually talk. The Saturday after midterms Xander meets Carter back in the deli where’d they’d met. They pick up sandwiches, chips and drinks before meandering their way over to a nearby park.

“So where are you from?” Carter asks once they’ve settled under a shady tree.

“Canada,” Xander answers as he unwraps his sandwich, he smiles when Carter doesn’t say anything, then elaborates, “Briarwood.”

He looks up to Carter looking thoughtful, as though he’s not quite sure what question he wants to ask next. Xander waits. Carter smiles at him and opens his sandwich.

“You’re asking about the accent, right?” Xander pushes. Everyone always asks about his accent and as much as he wishes it didn’t the question always sets him on edge. He wishes he was over the teasing he’d gotten when he’d first moved to Briarwood, but he just wasn’t there yet.

“I can’t decide,” Carter says honestly, “I was going to, but Briarwood was the recent ranger team so I’m tempted to ask how that was, but I’m not sure if that isn’t a little self-serving.”

“Because it brings up that you use to be a ranger?” Xander asks.

“Yeah.”

“That usually gets you dates, huh?” Xander teases.

Carter shrugs, “It gets more people trying to pick me up and I don’t usually get turned down.”

Xander takes a sip of his drink before he points out, “Wouldn’t Operation Overdrive be the last team or have they confirmed that supposedly new team in Ocean’s Bluff?”

“Jungle Fury,” Carter tells him.

“Who comes up with team names anyway?” Xander shakes his head before he tries his chips.

“I have no idea, but I like mine.”

Xander smiles, he’s tempted to say he likes his team’s name too, but he doesn’t want to shock Carter. He wants to get to know the other man before their conversation inevitably slides into talking about being rangers.

“What?” Carter asks.

“Where are you from?” Xander counters.

“Here. I’ve pretty much always been in Mariner Bay.”

They eat in silence for a moment, enjoying the weather and the food before Xander asks, “So got any new pick up lines?”

Carter groans, “How bad was I?”

Xander laughs.

Carter smiles and shakes his head, “That is the last time I’m taking advice dating advice from Joel.”

“Dating advice?” Xander asks, “I thought your were trying to pick me up?”

“I was,” Carter laughs, “It just took me awhile to work up the nerve.”

“Really?” Xander smiles, “So what other lines were you planning?”

“Oh no, I had a hard enough time getting that one out!” 

Xander smirks. Carter shakes his head, still grinning. Xander leans in and tells him, “I think there’s something wrong with my eyes…I can’t take them off of you.”

Carter laughs again, “Somehow I don’t think that would’ve worked.”

“There’s something wrong with my cell. It doesn’t have your number in it.”

“Only that ones wrong,” Carter teases, “We have each others number.”

“We didn’t then,” Xander reminds, “Okay, how about…Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk on by again?”

“Somehow I’m sure Joel has used that one, but I can’t see myself even trying.”

“Hello,” Xander says slowly, dragging the syllables out.

“Hi?” Carter questions, looking as though he’s worried about what Xander will say next.

Xander waggles his eyebrows, “Cupid called. He says to tell you he needs my heart back.”

“Do people actually…” Carter starts to question, “No, I’m sure they do. I got this one the other day: Are you from Tennessee? Because you’re the only ten I see.”

“No! Really?” Xander laughs, “That’s horrible.”

“Some of them are really bad,” Carter agrees, “That’s why I was hesitant, but I wasn’t sure how to start a conversation and you always seem so busy.”

“Yeah, it’s probably not the best place to study, but I like being surrounded by people.”

“What are you majoring in?”

“Botany,” Xander answers, then waits for the questions to start.

Carter just smiles at him, “I should introduce you to Danny.”

“Oh?” Xander questions. For a moment he wonders if he’d been reading the flirty undertone to all their conversations incorrectly.

“Not like that,” Carter admonishes, “He has a boyfriend. He loves flowers and I think he has a degree. I’m not sure. I know he went to college.”

Xander nods.

“Besides I’m still trying to get a date with you,” Carter tells him, give him a hopeful look.

Xander smiles, “This isn’t a date?”

Carter’s smile lights up his whole face and Xander finds immediately hoping there is a second date. With this in mind Xander decides he can’t hold onto his secret identity forever.

“So, before we really get into the getting to know you part I have something I need to tell you first,” Xander broaches.

“Okay?”

“It’s kind of the reason I got into botany,” Xander starts, not sure how to proceed.

Carter tilts his head, obviously giving him room to gather his thoughts.

“It’s a Briarwood thing,” Xander continues, before he sighs and shakes his head, “What kind of flowers do you like?”

“Is this a trick question?”

“No, a demonstration.”

Carter looks confused for a moment before he says, “Tulips.”

Xander nods, checks to make sure no ones payin attention to them before he concentrates on the ground in front of them. Slowly a tulip sprouts, grows and then blooms a brilliant red. Xander looks up to takes in the way Carter’s eyes have gotten huge, “I went with a Greigii tulip. They’re called Riding Hood Tulips too, tend to be early blooms and don’t always look traditional, but they’re gorgeous.”

“What color are you?” Carter asks.

“Green.”

“Of course,” Carter nods, “Earth element. Really going to have to introduce you to Danny, you two would probably get along.”

Xander nods.

“Your team?” Carter questions.

“Gave me permission to tell you.”

“Me or the rest of my team as well?” Carter asks.

“We’re okay with telling other rangers, but as long as everyone in town keeps quiet we’d rather not have to go public.”

“That makes sense,” Carter agrees, before he frowns, “Is this why you gave me your…no, you said this was a date.”

“I do want this to be a date,” Xander reassures, “but I couldn’t not tell you and I needed to talk to my team first.”

Carter smiles, “I’m glad you did.”

“Me too,” Xander agrees.


End file.
